TNAG-0096-FCO40-132-Hong-Kong-Trade-Unions-1968 — Page 28

CONFIDENTIAL

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(xi) Employment Information Bill

XCC(68)5

This bill will require employers to provide statistics on employment and related subjects, some of which are at asioworipresent furnished on an unsatisfactory voluntary basis,

It will also provide for the collection of statistics relating it to the non-industrial sector.

(xii) Industrial Relations Bill

This bill would provide machinery for the settlement of disputes not amenable to voluntary conciliation. This involves a form of compulsory conciliation, procedure for voluntary arbitration, and, in essential services, the notification of disputes, prescribed limitations on strikes and lock-outs, and, where necessary, compulsory arbitration. The desirability of proceeding with legislation of this type, however, is by no means incontestable, and will require further study.

(xiii) Contracts for Overseas Employment Bill

This bill will give authority, at present lacking, to refuse to attest contracts where their terms are regarded as contrary to the interests of workers going overseas for employment.

(xiv) Control of Employment Agencies Bill and Regulations This bill will enable effective control to be exercised over privately-operated employment agencies in respect of registration and the charging of illegal fees contrary to I. L.O. convention No 96.

(xv) Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Rest days) Regulations

These regulations will provide a statutory right to rest days for adult male workers employed in industry. The introduction of these regulations will depend on the out- come of current efforts by the Labour Department to persuade employers organizations to introduce rest days voluntarily,

(xvi) Industrial Training Bill

D

This bill cannot be prepared until such time as the recommendations of the Industrial Training Advisory Committee have been received and considered.

Mines Department

(i) Quarries (Safety) Regulations

These provide for the safe operation of quarries by requiring the appointment of a competent person in charge of all workings, the use of safety equipment, and the observation of safe practices.

(ii) Dangerous Goods (General) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations

These simply involve increases in fees for the storage of explosives. The legislation has been drafted, but action is deferred because of the recent introduction of centralized control over the storage and issue of explosives, and because plans are in preparation for future control.

CONFIDENTIAL